Day One Report: Survived!

I'm in a state of being overwhelmed right now. Not in a bad way really in the slightest, but more so just like one of those things where you are running really fast and I am in that moment of catching my breath after a long sprint. Like the running was good for my soul and body, and now I'm just trying to take it all in and recharge my batteries. We had orientation this morning for Portfolio Center at 9am. Eric and I, being the enthused and eager beavers we are, got there like 30 minutes prior. Rolling stone gathers no moss, my friends.

It started out pretty basic. Here you will learn this and apply it to that and it will help you become him/her. It was honestly really deep and informative more than what I'm making it seem. I think one of the things Eric and I are discovering is that everyone there truly cares about your success in the program and in the career field after words just as much as you do yourself. And that feels good, because it's not like these are people who are just getting paid, and want you to do it a set way so you can be this type of cookie-cutter creative arts person. Not at all! They encourage you to push the envelope, to never settle, hit the ground running, get to know your peers because you will know them forever, etc. It's a really welcoming and calming feeling. One of the staff described it best saying that they take care of each other there just as much as a family would and should. Everyone is there to help you figure stuff out and make sure you are doing what you need to be doing. Like honestly this morning you could just feel the creative juices flowing through everyone and there was like an anxiety to begin. An anxiety that will never dissipate from here on out I'm sure.

We got our schedules...here is mine:
* Mon 9a-12p: Natural Light. This is the Photography course I was talking about already where one assignment is shooting subjects with the lighting at sunrise and sunset everyday for the next 8 weeks...weekends too!
* Tues 9a-12p: Intro to Photography. I really hope this isn't a class that won't teach me anything new. I really want to be pushed in this class and maybe even drive my passion from the start.
* Wed 9a-12p: Intro to Photoshop. Same applies with this course. I really hope it helps me harness the skills in this program that I already know and also learn and adapt some awesome new ones
*Wed 1p-5p: Emotive Writing/Grammar Boot Camp. I have honestly no idea what to expect of this class except that my Wednesdays will be PACKED!
*Thur 10a: Seminar. This is required of all students where people from the industry come in and share. Much like "Chapel" at my undergrad.

But thats my schedule for the first quarter. I know it might not seem like much, but I'm pretty positive my butt will get kicked. I actually had a class today. My Natural Light class met. We got to meet the professor for the first time. He is really cool, Jerry Burns. www.studioburns.com to see his work. He is one of the most well-known photographers, as I understand it, in the Atlanta area. But he seems like a really genuine guy. I know he expects a lot out of us and our work but I can also tell he genuinely wants to help us become a better photographer than we thought possible. It's exciting. In class, we had to take photos of each other. There are 7 of us in the class. The girl I took photos of had a really good sense of humor. She was totally hitting on me too. Kidding...or am I? The professor went over the syllabus, requirements and some assignments to come in the next few weeks. Oh the excitement! Tomorrow is my first day for the Intro to Photography class. I hope that goes well. Be praying for me.

Eric and I went and checked out a church on Sunday. Buckhead Church, www.buckheadchurch.org What an amazing place! I loved it! I will seriously keep going back every week its just a matter of work for school but more so if its a place where I can get connected and really get to know people my age who are also Christians. Especially since I've noticed A LOT of the students at PC are not what Im used to. But this is a fact I have already expected. It's just going to take getting used to. But this church was phenomenal! The worship was great! The message was awesome, and really spoke to me. It was about how God uses the negatives in life to grow us in our faith, and immediately I started thinking about this entire last year with my ex, and Nashville and the job struggle and it really showed me where I've come from. It just made me smile. Knowing that God brought me here on faith alone to PC and Atlanta. That I put my faith fully in Him that this is the route He had prepared for me, and today I started walking it. Like I said...overwhelmed...and I love it! I'm hoping as each day goes by I'll survive it like I did today. With this wit, charm, dimples and faith of course I can hahaha.

More to come...

P.S. Thanks to EVERYONE for their birthday wishes! 25 was a great one!